On fertile ground - SOLD
Richard Mudariki (b 1985)
On fertile ground - 2016
Oil on canvas
80 x 70 cm
Signed and dated bottom right
Sold - 2016
This painting is about the need for subsistence farming in modern
day Zimbabwe. The image of a coin being buried in the soil is
a metaphor for a family who invests their hard earned money in
farming the land. My family, like many other families in Zimbabwe
who have to rely on subsistence farming, have invested in a piece
of land to grow food to feed themselves and their livestock. Well
before the rainy season, decisions have to be made regarding
the crops to be planted, as with limited resources at hand much
hard earned cash has to be spent on buying seed and fertilizer.
When the rainy season starts, all the family members are involved
in preparing the land and planting and tending to the crop. The
difficult economic situation often means that some farmers have
to barter their surplus harvest for basic necessities such as sugar,
clothing or soap.